Harry Potter Missing Moments
by Alien Emerald
Summary: A collection of moments missing from the Harry Potter books. Chapter 6: Hermione takes care of a Boggart for Mrs. Weasley, and finds herself in the worst predicament of her life.
1. The Yule Ball

**What We All Wanted to See**

**A collection of oneshots of scenes that JK Rowling apparently forgot to add to the book. Rewrites of some parts, but mostly true to the original story line. HarryGinny, RonHermione centric.**

**XX**

**Writing Harry Potter fanfiction is pretty new to me. I write Twilight and Teen Titan fics, but not much else. I can't promise you will like me writing Harry Potter. I know just how hard it can be to capture the true writing style of the actual author, but I will try my best. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to better give you guys the 'vibe' of Harry.**

**I'm addicted to the series, what can I say? I think that it's brilliant. But, aside from that, I don't think JK Rowling included enough 'normal teen' stuff. Well, I suppose if she had, the books would be about 1000 pages long. Not that WE wouldn't mind. This series of oneshots will be, quite simply, scenes she forgot to put in the book. Such as hanging about the lake, having fun in the Room of Requirement, playing pranks, and (oooooh) kissing. Things us normal non-wizarding folks do.**

**I already have a clear vision of what I might re-write from the book. Like when Ron came back in the Deathly Hallows and saved Harry, and when Hermione and Ron first kissed, when Harry and Ginny went down to the lake, and the Yule Ball. Let me know if there's anything else you guys are just ITCHING to see written in words. It would be my pleasure to write it.**

**Now, on with the first chapter (the first few chapters will be mainly rewrites): **

**XX**

The Yule Ball

Harry had made sure he wasn't seen in the halls. He wasn't about to deny another girl a chance to go with him. He didn't yet have a date, but that made no difference to him. He wanted to wait for the right girl. Who that girl was, he wasn't quite sure. He had been feeling less and less excited to go to the Ball, becoming less and less sure that he would ever find fun in these teenage things. But he was desperate to be normal.

Or, at least, as normal as Harry Potter gets.

His friends, on the other hand, were enjoying themselves immensely. Ron had been fanatically trying to gather the attention of a few girls, but no one seemed to notice him. This only seemed to make him more excited. Hermione seemed to only want the attention of one guy, but she refused to let anyone know who that one guy was. Ginny, who had become closer to him in the past months, seemed to be more laid back about it all, but still kept one eye open.

(In the Book) Entering the common room, Harry looked around, and to his surprise he saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice.

"What's up, Ron?" said Harry, joining them.

Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face.

"Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!"

"What?" said Harry.

"He – er – just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.

"You _what_?" said Harry.

"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people – all around – I've gone mad – everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the Entrance Hall – she was standing there talking to Diggory – and it sort of came over me – and I asked her!"

Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable. "She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even wait for an answer. And then - I dunno – I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."

"She's part Veela," said Harry. "You were right – her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it – but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang."

Ron looked up.

"I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully, "and she told me."

Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling.

"This is mad," said Ron, "we're the only ones left who haven't got anyone – well, except Neville. Hey – guess who he asked? _Hermione!"_

"_What?" _said Harry, distracted by this startling news.

"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff – but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville… I mean, who would?"

"Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed. "Don't laugh – "

Just then Hermione climbed through the portrait hole.

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, coming over to them.

"Because – oh, shut up laughing, you two – because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny.

That shut Harry and Ron up.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sourly.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily, "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone _somewhere_ who'll have you."

But Ron was staring at Hermione as though seeing her in a whole new light. "Hermione, Neville's right – you _are_ a girl…"

"Oh, well spotted," she said acidly.

"Well – you can come with one of us!"

"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.

"Oh, come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has…"

"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."

"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh, _did _I?' said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. 'Just because it's taken _you _three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one _else _has spotted I'm a girl!"Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again.

"OK, OK, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?"

"I've told you!" Hermione said, very angrily. "I'm already going with someone else!"

And she stormed off angrily towards the girls' dormitories again.

"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.

"She's not," said Ginny quietly.

"Who is it then?" said Ron sharply.

"I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny.

"Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, _you_ can go with Harry, and I'll just-"

"I can't," said Ginny, and she went scarlet too. "I'm going with-with Neville. He asked me to go when Hermione said no, and I thought…well…I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year." She looked extremely miserable. "I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, and she got up and walked off to the portrait hole, her head bowed.

Ron goggled at Harry.

"What's got into them?" he demanded.

But Harry had just seen Parvati and Lavender come in through the portrait hole. The time had come for drastic action.

"Wait here," he said to Ron, and he stood up, walked straight to Parvati, and said, "Parvati? Will you go to the ball with me?"

Parvati went into a fit of giggles. Harry waited for them to subside, his fingers crossed in the pockets of his robes.

"Yes, all right then," she said finally, blushing furiously.

"Thanks," said Harry, is relief. "Lavender-will you go with Ron?"

"She's going with Seamus," said Parvati, and the pair of them giggled harder than ever.

Harry sighed.

"Can you think of anyone who'd go with Ron?" he said, lowering his voice so that Ron wouldn't hear.

"What about Hermione Granger?" said Parvati.

"She's going with someone else."

Parvati looked astonished.

"Ooooh-who?" she said keenly.

Harry shrugged. "No idea," he said. "So what about Ron?"

"Well…," said Parvati slowly. "I suppose my sister might… Padma, you know…in Ravenclaw. I'll ask her if you like."

"Yeah, that would be great," said Harry. "Let me know, will you?"

And he went back over to Ron, feeling that this ball was a lot more trouble than it was worth, and hoping very much that Padma Patil's nose was dead center.

XX

Harry was trying to enjoy the holidays as much as possible; despite the load of homework he had been given. It seemed the rest of the students felt this way as well, because half of the common room was full of students playing chess or talking happily with one another. It seemed no one wanted to worry about school, not with the Yule Ball coming up so soon.

Hermione, despite Harry and Ron's prodding, had been intently studying anyways. She now sat near Ron and Harry, reading a heavy book, her eyes darting intently over the pages. Ron was staring longingly at her, every so often trying to get her to confess who she was going to the ball with.

"Hermione?" he said now. She gave an unintelligible sound to let him know she was listening, and he asked very fast, "Who are you going to the ball with?"

She looked pointedly up from her book, glaring daggers at him. "Ron," she said firmly, "I am never going to tell you, so stop asking. You'll just have to be patient."

"Why can't I know?!" Ron asked furiously.

"Because, you'll only laugh!"

"No I won't!" Ron pleaded. "I won't say a single word.

But Hermione didn't say another word.

Harry wasn't feeling too great himself. He was regretting more and more ever asking to Pavarti to go to the dance with him. Even though she was one of the best looking girls in his year, he couldn't help but feel that he should have asked someone else. He wasn't quite sure who, and he knew it was on the tip of his tongue….

Three hours until the ball, Hermione packed up her books and began to walk upstairs to the girls' dormitory.

"Where are you headed off to?" Ron yelled after her.

"I'm going to get ready for the ball," she said stiffly. She turned around, head held high, and stomped up the stairs. Harry had a feeling Hermione wasn't too pleased with Ron.

"What's got up her knickers?" Ron asked Harry, obviously furious that she wasn't revealing anything. "I mean, it's her fault that she won't say anything. I mean, who keeps that sort of secret? We're her best friends, right? Well, I suppose it's her problem…."

Harry just sighed. Ron and Hermione reminded him of a bickering old couple.

XX

(In the book)

Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville changed into their dress robes up in their dormitory, all of them looking very self-conscious, but none as much as Ron, who surveyed himself in the mirror with an appalled look on his face. There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked more like a dress than anything else. In a desperate attempt to make them look more manly, he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs. It worked fairly well; at least now he was lace-free, although he hadn't done a very neat job, and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as the boys set off downstairs.

"I still can't work out how you two got the best-looking girls in the year," muttered Dean.

"Animal magnetism," said Ron gloomily, pulling stray threads out of his cuffs.

The common room looked strange, full of people wearing different colors instead of the usual mass of black. Parvati was waiting for Harry at the foot of the stairs. She looked very pretty indeed, in robes of shocking pink, with her long dark hair plait braided with gold, and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists. Harry was relieved to see that she wasn't giggling.

"You-er-look nice," he said awkwardly.

"Thanks," she said. "Padma's going to meet you in the entrance hall," she added to Ron.

"Right," said Ron, looking around. "Where's Hermione?"

Parvati shrugged. "Shall we go down then, Harry?"

"Okay," said Harry, wishing he could just stay in the common room. Fred winked at Harry as he passed him on the way out of the portrait hole.

(My own writing)

They headed down to the entrance hall together, and it was not long before Parvati found her sister, Padma, and led her over to Ron.

"Hi," said Padma, who didn't look too thrilled about having Ron for a partner. She was eyeing his dress robes apprehensively as she looked him up and down.

Harry looked around the entrance hall, spotting Fleur Delacour, looking stunning in robes of silver satin, accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Roger Davies. A group of Slytherins came up from their dungeon common room, Malfoy in front looking like a vicar. Pansy Parkinson, in robes of shocking pink, was clutching his arms, followed by Crab and Goyle, who, Harry was pleased to see, did not have dates. The Durmstrang students entered, Krum at the front of the party, accompanied by a pretty girl in blue robes Harry didn't know.

Harry looked over at Ron, feeling quite anxious about the whole thing. He was surprised to find Ron staring speechlessly up the stairs. He looked to where Ron was, only to find the pretty girl next to Krum now replaced with Hermione. Or, Hermione, who was indeed the pretty girl.

But she wasn't Hermione.

She had done something with her hair; it was no longer bushy but sleek and shiny, and twisted up into an elegant knot at the back of her head. She was wearing a long and flowing dress make of periwinkle-blue, and she was holding herself high. She was smiling brightly, and the recent reduction in the size of her front teeth was more noticeable than ever; Harry couldn't understand how he hadn't spotted it before.

"_Hermione?" _Ron asked in unflattering disbelief. He was still staring, wide-eyed, as if he was sure he was dreaming. Hermione smiled brightly at him, seeming to forget the previous feud they had. "But-you're not…you can't be…. _Hermione?"_

Harry was having a tough time believing it, too, and as the doors of the Great Hall were opened, and the champions entered, Ron and Harry didn't seem to be the only ones. Krum's ban of giggling girls were throwing daggers at Hermione, all glowing green with jealousy. Even Pansy Parkinson was dumbstruck, seemingly unable to find a rude comment for Hermione at the moment.

As Professor McGonagall led the champions to the floor, the Weird Sisters began to play a slow and mournful song. Harry concentrated on not tripped over his feet, and Parvati was simply beaming. As she led him through the song, Harry began to feel less and less sure that he was going to live through the night. Fighting dragons was one thing, but dancing? It simply seemed impossible.

That, plus the fact that it simply didn't feel right to be dancing with Parvati, made Harry miserable throughout the song. When it finally came to an end, he immediately left to find Ron, leaving Parvati to find another dance partner. Ron was sitting, not ten feet away, on a bench, his head in his hands. Harry sat down next to him.

"What's up, mate?" he asked him.

"Why couldn't I have asked her?" Ron stated simply. He peered up at Harry from between his fingers, looking positively miserable.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.

"Hermione!" Ron said matter-of-factly. "Look at her! She's absolutely brilliant! And now she's swooning over Krum! I just really wished I would have asked her sooner…."

"Sorry, mate," Harry said, feeling sorry for his lovesick friend. "Maybe you can ask her for a dance."

"Who am I kidding?" Ron said. "She wouldn't ever want to go with me, anyways…"

Knowing that Ron wasn't listening, Harry searched the floor, looking around at the twirling couples. Fleur and Rodger, Cho and Cedric (he glared at this), Hermione and Krum, Ginny and Neville…. All the happy pairs and he was left sitting on the side with Ron. He wanted nothing more than for the night to be over.

The song ended, and a few couples took a break. Ginny came over to him and Ron, sitting down, looking at the solemn Ron.

"What's up with him?" Ginny asked Harry.

"He's got his knickers in a twist over Hermione and Krum."

"I do not!" Ron yelled, but it was quite obvious he was lying.

"Ron, just ask her to dance," Ginny said, trying to hide her smirk. "I bet she won't turn you down."

Ron sighed, and Ginny turned back to Harry, her cheeks flaming. "Harry, do you…um…want to dance?" Ginny asked. Harry stared blankly at her. Of all the people, he had never expected Ginny to….

"Um-"

"Well, you know, after the next song," she interrupted. Harry then realized that the song that was currently playing was an upbeat song, not much of a couples dance. So, he sat quietly, his heart thudding against his chest, and led Ginny onto the dance floor when a proper song began to play.

He led her around in circles, extra careful not to step on her feet, and she followed perfectly in line with him.

"You're a good dancer, Ginny," Harry said, halfway through the song.

She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling. "You're not bad yourself."

Just then, he stumbled, stepping on her foot with his heal. He laughed, genuinely happy for the first time in tonight. "You're bloody better than me," he said.

They continued dancing smoothly, smiling brightly, and Harry failed to notice anything but his steps and Ginny's. It was much better than be led by Parvati, and he was truly sad when the song ended. He parted reluctantly with her, watching as she went to the drink table. On his way back to Ron, feeling quite happy, he saw Hermione going in the same direction.

"Hello, Harry," she said to him as they neared Ron. "Have you enjoyed it so far?"

"It's not horrible," he said, smiling. "How about you? Enjoying Krum?"

"He's a wonderful dancer," she said, blushing. "I suppose Ron's not exactly enjoying himself?"

"S'pose not," Harry said, really dreading to get into the middle of a row between Ron and Hermione. But, to his surprise, Hermione walked straight up to Ron with a brilliant smile on her face. She offered her hand to him, asking him to dance.

Ron took it, looking halfway between dreamy happiness and annoyance. Harry watched them dance, glad to enjoy a few moments peace.

They danced for one song…then another…then another…then another. It was on their fifth song, and one hour until the end of the ball, when something began to happen. Ron's expression had changed from his dreamy state to total fury, and Hermione wasn't far behind. She glared wordlessly at Ron, while he talked furiously, their once synchronized steps falling apart. In the middle of the song, they broke apart, Hermione storming away with her head down, and Ron stomping his way back towards Harry.

"What the bloody hell is her problem?!" Ron fumed. "She just thinks that Krum is the greatest thing ever, doesn't she! Talking about him like he's some precious book… Damn woman, she's so bloody stubborn!"

Harry took his cue. Getting up of his bench, he and Ron left the hall and went back into the much less crowded entrance hall. Glad that they could go back to bed in peace, they both turned the corner and found Hermione bent over on the stairs. Her head was in her lap, her high heels off her feet and set beside her, her once elegant bun now coming down around her face.

"What, Krum gone and dumped you, has he?" Ron muttered, just loud enough for Hermione to hear. "Told you, I was exactly right. You should have never gone and went with him-"

"_RON!!!" _ Hermione screeched, lifting up her tear streaked face, raging with fury. "You insensitive jerk, you!! Krum DID NOT dump me, and NO, you are far from right!!! You complete _arse, _Ron!!!"

She began bawling again, louder than ever, and Harry wished more than anything that he could just have slipped away….

"Well…so…it just totally proves my point…you should have never…." But Ron didn't get to finish his mumbling before Hermione cut in again.

"Well, if you don't ruddy like it, then you know what the solution is, don't you?!" Hermione yelled with her face screwed up in anger.

"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Ron stormed up off the stairs.

XX

The next morning, Harry awoke to the scariest thing he'd seen in weeks. The common room was completely empty of people, all except for Ron and Hermione, who were quietly talking to each other, whispering furiously, though, and standing up. Wanting to give them some privacy, Harry simply sat out of sight on the steps, listening to their arguing.

"I know just what I'm going to have to do, then," Ron said, his voice finally dying down.

"Oh yeah?" Hermione said, mimicking Ron, her voice quieting too. "What's that, then?"

"I'll just have to be the first to ask you next time," Ron mumbled. "I'll be sure to."

It was silent for a moment, and Harry, thinking the worst was over, stood up and began to go down. But before he reached the bottom step, he saw Hermione run into Ron's arms, hugging the life out of him, bawling into his shirt. And Ron, to Harry's utter disbelief, wrapped his arms around Hermione and sat with her, intertwined, on the couch.

Thinking better of it, Harry turned around and headed back upstairs.

**XX**

** I quite liked this piece. It wasn't too dreadful, was it? It will get much better. I've been thinking about making up a slumber party for the girls….**

** Anyways, suggest any scenes you want to be re-done from the book, and I will be happy to comply.**

**Love and love and love again,**

**until next time**

**-Alien**


	2. Bill and Fleur's Wedding: Dancing

**This chapter is from the 7th book, where Ron and Hermione dance at Bill and Fluer's wedding. Please let me know if you have any more requests.**

**XX**

(From the book)

The smile vanished from Ron's face at once: Viktor Krum had dropped into Luna's vacant seat. Hermione looked pleasurably flustered, but this time Krum had not come to compliment her. With a scowl on his face he said, "Who is that man in the yellow?"

"That's Xenophilius Lovegood, he's the father of a friend of ours," said Ron. His pugnacious tone indicated that they were not about to laugh at Xenophilius, despite the clear provocation. "Come and dance," he added abruptly to Hermione.

She looked taken aback, but pleased too, and got up.

(My writing)

Ron took Hermione's hand, leading her onto the dance floor.

"Are they together now?" Krum said to Harry.

"Er- sort of," said Harry.

Ron and Hermione could only look flustered as they began to twirl with the crowd. They had heard the last few words regarding their departure, and decided against saying anything about it.

"So," said Ron, "quite a wedding, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Hermione, "really a wonderful effort on your mum's part."

They both smiled, their hearts pounding. In truth, it was almost like the Yule Ball all over again. Hermione had her hair sleeked down again, her dress almost an exact replica as the one before. She looked like she was glowing. Ron, courtesy of Fred and George, didn't have frilly dress robes anymore, but instead handsome black and red ones.

"You know," said Hermione, "it sort of makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

"'Bout what?" said Ron. He couldn't seem to move his eyes from hers, and hoped that she took it as a compliment, as Hermione seemed to continually avert her eyes.

"About where we'll be in twenty years. It seemed to go so fast in the last 7," she said.

Ron could only nod. His thoughts were zooming in a million different directions, and all of them seemed to end on his wedding, and his hand around Hermione's waist, twirling her under the flower canopy….

But where would she be? Surely she would have found someone better, someone worthy of her brilliance. He could not imagine her saying yes to him, had he ever proposed. He was a stupid prat, completely immature, and a total arse when it came to Hermione.

He still couldn't imagine himself without her. Surely she felt some sort of spark between them when they touched like this? It wasn't right that she could look so composed when he felt so completely ruffled. No matter where he looked, he could only see himself dancing with the girl in front of him. She, of course, could be dancing with anyone.

"It almost makes you forget," Hermione began again. Ron looked at her with raised eyebrows, his eyes yet to leave her face. "You know, about Voldemort. Everything goes on, doesn't it? Even when everything is falling apart."

He had to think for a moment. Maybe, this time, if he sounded like he knew a lot, like he really was mature, then she could love him the way he loved her. "Yeah, well, things have to keep themselves going." He couldn't think of anything mature. There was nothing to say. "Because, I suppose, when it stops that's when it really falls apart."

Hermione smiled. He was the most wonderfully stupid person she had ever been lucky enough to meet. He had no competition: she could only see herself in his arms.

But what, she thought, would happen ten hours from now? Would he be gone and dead, killed by one of Voldemort's many waiting hands? Or would she be gone, killed off the same way as so many? It was impossible to know, and it made her want to hold onto him all the more tighter.

In twenty years, she would not be with Krum. She would not be with some faceless man, or even one of the many boys she knew. She would be with Ron, and if he didn't have the guts to propose what was wanted and needed, then she would do it all. She would do everything, just for him.

The song changed, the melody slower and sweeter than before. The sun licked the sky one more time, in a flurry of orange and red, then disappeared completely. Ron and Hermione held onto each other, both ever-present in the future. Both holding each other tighter than ever.

Sure, Ron was a insufferable prat with the emotional range of a teaspoon, but she loved him with all her heart. She saw herself in his arms for the rest of her life. She could not see herself anywhere but.


	3. Into Hiding: We're Not Alone

**The first night that Ron, Hermione and Harry go into hiding. Ron and Hermione fall asleep last…and in each other's company.**

**XX**

(In book: I own nothing)

Hermione shrieked: Harry drew his wand again and spun around to see a silver Patronus soar through the drawing room window and land upon the floor in front of them, where it solidified into the weasel that spoke with the voice of Ron's father.

"_Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."_

The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped onto the sofa: Hermione joined him, gripping his arm.

"They're all right, they're all right!" she whispered, and Ron half laughed and hugged her.

"Harry," he said over Hermione's shoulder, "I—"

"It's not a problem," said Harry, sickened by the pain in his head. "It's your family, 'course you're worried. I'd feel the same way." He thought of Ginny. "I _do _feel the same way."

The pain in his scar was reaching a peak, burning as it had done in the garden of the Burrow. Faintly he heard Hermione say, "I don't want to be on my own. Could we use the sleeping bags I've brought and camp in here tonight?"

He heard Ron agree. "Bathroom," he muttered, and Harry left the room as fast as he could.

(My writing.)

"Wonder what's up with him?" said Ron. Hermione didn't notice; she was currently searching through her bag to get the sleeping bags.

She began to pull out random things: books, clothes, towels, soaps, cans, toiletries…. Ron only watched. Finally, grabbing three big bundles of cloth, she pulled out the sleeping bags.

"Here Ron," she said, handing the sleeping bags over to Ron. "Set these up. I'm going to go see if Harry needs his toothbrush."

She grabbed a blue toothbrush and walked up to the bathroom where Harry was. She rapped on the door, and heard a loud bang behind the door. "Harry? Are you alright?" she asked, but got no response. "Do you want your toothbrush? I've got it here."

"Yeah, great, thanks," he said in a strained voice. Opening the door, he took the toothbrush. "I'll be down in a bit."

Hermione smiled, trying to reassure him. Surely he was under much more stress than any of them. He smiled back fleetingly, and then closed the door again. Turning around, she went back downstairs to Ron.

"Hermione!" yelled Ron, his voice muffled under the covers of the sleeping bags. "I need help! These are too confusing!"

"Oh, Ron!" said Hermione, exasperated. "These are muggle sleeping bags! Surely you know how to set them up?"

"No! Of course I don't!"

Sighing, she pulled them off Ron. She showed him, step by step, just how to unravel them, then un-zip them, then lay them flat. He looked slightly confused, but said he understood.

"We best get to sleep," said Hermione. "Harry should be down soon…."

"Give him some space, Hermione," said Ron. "He needs some time alone."

She nodded, still concerned, and slid into her bag with Ron beside her. Lying there, not feeling the least bit tired, she let her mind wander over the day's events…. She was suddenly very grateful she was even alive. It didn't seem real to her…a beautiful day turned into a life-threatening thing. She wanted to cry, but laugh at the same time.

It was at least another hour before Harry came down. He got into his sleeping bag, not making much noise, and soon his shallow breaths turned into deep ones. He was, at least, having a peaceful sleep.

She turned over in her bag, now facing Ron, to find his eyes open too. She thought he had fallen asleep long ago. "Ron?" she asked, "are you awake?"

"Yeah," said Ron in a raspy voice. "Wide awake."

She sighed, "Me too."

They were silent for a while, content just in the other's company. She hoped, if nothing else, that she would at least fall asleep with him. She didn't want to be left alone.

"Ron?" she whispered. His eyes looked into hers, and she looked back. "I'm scared."

He was still for a moment, but then in the next he was searching out with his hand, in search of something. At first, she thought he had made a mistake when he grabbed her hand, but he kept it there even when she flinched. "It's ok," he said. "We'll get through this, Hermione."

She smiled at him, and squeezed his hand. Her heart was pounding, but she didn't notice, and she moved even closer to him. He smiled brilliantly.

She sometimes wondered when it was that Ron was a thick prat, and when he changed into a sensitive best friend. She loved him for both, of course, but she would have liked to know how he knew when it was time to change. He was her best friend; he meant the world to her. Harry was like her brother; she loved him just like one. But Ron…. Ron was something different. He could make her feel things that no one else could, and she could never begin to explain it.

"I know," she said in her smallest voice yet. "I know we'll get through this."

And she believed every word of it. Here, so close to Ron that she could hear his heart beat, she knew it was going to be alright.

"We'll get through this together."

She was asleep before she could feel his kiss, and no one besides Ron would ever know. No one would ever know that he could no longer feel alone; and Hermione could never say that, either.


	4. Love Potions

**Love Potions**

**NO, no one RECIEVES a love potion from anyone. Although, that is my next story. In this one, Hermione describes what a love potion is, and begins to tell us what she smells in it. FLASHBACK: why does she like peppermint toothpaste?**

**WARNING: This chapter contains exclusive info from the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie. It's COMPLETELY legal, I'm saying this now, so don't worry; you aren't involved in a illegal copyright thing. I just know what the script is in some parts of the movie, and I've put one of the scenes in here. Or…a few of them, actually.**

**DISCLAIMER: I have never and do not currently own and Harry Potter books or movies.**

**XX**

"Excellent, excellent!" Professor Slughorn boomed as Hermione gave yet another answer to his question. There were three potions in the room: one clear, Veritaserum, one ugly and brown, Polyjuice Potion, and one pearl like substance…which no one had yet answered. "Now, this one here…" Hermione's hand shot up into the air, "yes, my dear?"

"It's Amortentia!"

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, who seemed mightily impressed, "but I assume you know what it does?"

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" said Hermione.

"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"

"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to all of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and—"

But she turned slightly pink and did not complete her sentence.

"—_and peppermint toothpaste."_

**XX**

Everyone had become increasingly anxious as the daylight hours began to unfold. Harry, who was said to arrive sometime around mid-day, was not yet here, even though it was much later than midday. Everyone resided in their separate quarters, but everyone was almost abnormally aware of what went on in the house.

Just then, Hermione heard a scream. She had been reading a fairly large book, and it had fell from her hands and onto her feet. She grabbed her toes, rubbing them and trying not to yell out. It was Ginny who had screamed, from somewhere downstairs.

"Harry's here!" yelled Ginny. The pain in her toes was becoming increasingly frustrating, as she could now not get up to go and greet her best friend. "Mom! Why didn't you tell me?!"

She heard movement in the hallway, and saw through the crack in her door Mrs. Weasley lean over the railing. "Ginny, dear, Harry hasn't arrived yet."

"Then why is his stuff here?" Ginny says, somewhere from below the railing.

Just then, Ron bursts from his room, running to the railing and leaning over it like his mother. "Did someone say Harry? What about Harry?"

"Is he up there with you?" Ginny yells to Ron, with an increasingly aggravated voice.

"Well, you think I would know if my best mate was up with me…."

Hermione, the pain in her foot finally down to a dull throbbing, comes out into the hallway and looks at Mrs. Weasley and Ron, who were staring down at Ginny. "Is Harry here?"

"I _told _you all, Harry isn't here yet, Dumbledore said they would be arriving later—"

But just then, the front door burst open, and in stepped Harry. He had a wide grin on his face, which grew to a loud bark of laughter as he saw two of his friends anxiously leaning over the upstairs railing, along with Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny pointing to Harry's bags, which were at the foot of the stairs. "Waiting for me, were you?"

"Harry!" everyone said simultaneously. Ginny, having been on the bottom of the stairs, rushed forward and gave Harry a bone crushing hug. Ron reached him next, giving him a thump on the back and a "Good to see you, mate!" Hermione, like Ginny, ran up to him and hugged him as well. Mrs. Weasley waited politely until the group hug was over, and then hugged Harry for herself. The site was, if anything, quite amusing.

Moments later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were up in Ron and Harry's room, talking avidly about the private lessons that Harry was going to receive from Dumbledore.

"Private lessons from Dumbledore," said Ron for the fifth time. "Blimey, Harry, I don't believe it. And you're the chosen one! Ha!"

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione said scathingly. "Harry's got enough on his mind with out his biggest fan on his back!"

"What--? Me…what? What are you saying, I don't…I'm not…," spluttered Ron. Hermione glared.

Her expression turned soft again as she looked back at Harry. "So…Harry, how are you? What with…well, that."

He looked at Hermione for a moment. Sighing, he said, "I'm fine." His tone had an obvious sense of meaning, and Hermione immediately got the vibe that he didn't want to talk about it.

They were quiet for a while. Ron was staring at Hermione, his face looking confused and conflicted. Hermione, not meeting his eyes but knowing he was staring, was becoming squirmy under his gaze.

"Ron, what are you—"

"Hermione," Ron interrupted. He moved from his spot across the room from her to her side, very, very close to her face, "you have something on your cheek."

Blushing furiously, Hermione began to reach up to her cheek to wipe it off, but Ron beat her there. Wiping it off with the back of his hand, he backed off again, now bright red too.

"Um…," he muttered, staring unblinking into Hermione's eyes. "Toothpaste…." He smelt his hand. "Peppermint."

The next moment, everyone was laughing, even Harry, who had been extremely sad just moments ago.

Ron and Hermione seemed unusually friendly for the rest of the day.

XX

"May I ask your name, my dear?" said Slughorn, ignoring Hermione's embarrassment.

"Hermione Granger, sir."

Slughorn looked from Hermione to Harry, who was sitting next to her.

"Oho! _'One of my friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' _I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?"

"Yes, sir," said Harry.

Hermione turned to Harry with a radiant expression and whispered, "Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year? Oh, Harry!"

"Well, what's so impressive about that?" whispered Ron, who for some reason looked annoyed. "You _are_ the best in the year –I'd have told him so if he'd asked me!"

Hermione smiled, blushing profusely.


	5. Harry's Dead

**Harry's Dead**

**When everyone thought Harry was dead, lying motionless and cold in Hagrid's arms, the world must have ended. It couldn't go on…. Not when their last hope in the world was dead.**

**Disclaimer: All dialogue in this chapter belongs to JK Rowling.**

**XX**

(From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling)

Harry remained kneeling at Snape's side, simply staring down at him, until quite suddenly a high, cold voice spoke so close to them that Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped to their feet, thinking that Voldemort had reentered the room.

Voldemort's voice reverberated from the walls and floor, and Harry realized that he was talking to Hogwarts and to all the surrounding area, that the residents of Hogsmade and all those still fighting in the castle would hear him as clearly as if he stood beside them, his breath on the back of their necks, a deathblow away.

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste.

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately.

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads frantically, looking at Harry.

"Don't listen to him," said Ron.

"It'll be all right," said Hermione wildly. "Let's—let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan—"

(My writing)

Ron put a hand on her shoulder, telling her to stop, and they crawled back through the tunnel together, no one saying anything.

The grounds of Hogwarts were still, as was the inside of the castle. The floors and flagstones were stained with blood, emeralds and marble littering the floor. Pictures were tilted and deserted, and most had been blown away.

"Where is everyone?" whispered Hermione.

Ron led them to the Great Hall. Harry stopped in the doorway, but Ron and Hermione proceeded to join the others.

No one seemed to take heed of what Voldemort had said; the survivors stood in groups, huddled together over the hundreds of bloody bodies that littered the floor. The injured lay upon raised platforms, being treated by Madam Pomfrey and a group of helpers.

Ron and Hermione joined in the group huddled around Fred's body; George was kneeling at his head, Mrs. Weasley lying across his chest and sobbing, and Mr. Weasley crying silently behind his wife. Hermione approached Ginny, whose face was swollen from crying, and hugged her. Ron joined Bill and Percy, who flung an arm around Ron's shoulders. Newly found bodies lay next to Fred: Remus and Tonks, peaceful and pale-looking beneath the enchanted ceiling.

No one saw Harry move away, and no one seemed to notice for a while. Everyone was still, shaking with sobs but not uttering a word. No one, not even the most stern of professors, seemed to have any logic left in them.

Hermione was the first to speak. "Where's Harry?"

It took only two words to make all of the Weasleys begin to panic. "You don't think he…he went to You-Know-Who, do you?" said Ron.

"He—he wouldn't do it…. Not without saying something first," said Ginny incredulously.

"Yeah, but the truth is, Ginny," said Bill, who was beginning to grow whiter and whiter with each word spoken, "he probably knew that we wouldn't let him."

Soon the whole Hall was in a flurry, and everyone was searching frantically for Harry, not a single word distinguishable above the uproar.

Until one voice broke through it all: the high, cold voice of Lord Voldemort, and everyone stopped in their tracks. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Everyone was led out of the entrance hall, led by Professor McGonagall, who was as frantic as ever. She was the first to see what confirmed Voldemort's speech: Harry Potter was dead, lying limp in Hagrid's arms.

"NO!" she screamed, her hands covering her eyes as if to get rid of what was there in front of her.

Voldemort stood in front of Hagrid, stroking Nagini, whose body was curled around his shoulders.

"No!" Ron screamed, his voice almost weaker than his legs, which were trembling.

"_No!" _Hermione yelled in defiance. For one in her life, she seemed to lose all of her calm. She wiggled and squirmed in Ron's arms, crying loudly into his shoulder at the same time.

"Harry! HARRY!" Ginny shouted, trying to wake Harry up. But he didn't move. All of the light seemed to drain from her eyes, and she closed them the moment she saw Harry open his eyes a little. She was the only one who saw what no one else had looked for: Harry was alive, his eyes had just looked at her, and it took almost no control on her part to remain quiet. She trusted Harry; he had a plan.

Soon, everyone was screaming and shouting insults at the Death Eaters, at Voldemort himself, and they were all safe because they were together defying him, together they could not be killed.

"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort, and he shot a silencing charm into the crowd that made every mouth stop moving. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

Hagrid moved forward, staring directly into Voldemort's eyes without flinching, his face thick with hatred. He lowered Harry gently onto the grass, and then retreated.

"You see?" said Voldemort, who had begun to pace back and forth, glaring into the eyes of his audience. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" yelled Ron, and the charm broke, and the defenders of Hogwarts were shouting and screaming again until a second, more powerful Silencing Charm was set on them once more.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," said Voldemort, "killed while trying to save himself—"

Neville, whose face had turned bright red from anger, lunged forward away from the crowd and directly into Voldemort himself. Disarmed and thrown to the ground, Neville lay motionless as Bellatrix and Voldemort both broke out laughing.

"And who's this?" he said in a snake hiss. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" shouted the delighted Bellatrix. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," said Voldemort, looking down at Neville, who was struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unprotected, standing alone between the survivors and the Death Eaters. "But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort asked Neville, whose face was red with anger again.

"So what if I am?" yelled Neville.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville acidly. The crowd cheered, Voldemort's Silencing Charms unable to hold.

"Very well," said Voldemort, whose voice was as cruel as his evil smile. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head," he said quietly, "be it."

Voldemort summoned the Sorting Hat through one of the Hogwarts windows. His smile grew wider, as he put a Full Body-Binding Curse on Neville, and placed the Sorting Hat on his head. The Death Eaters raised there wand, holding the fighters at bay.

"Neville here is going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," said Voldemort, and with a flick of his wand, the Sorting Hat burst into flames.

There were cries of outrage, and many things happened at once.

The centaurs came rushing out of the forest, shouting loud war cries. The Death Eaters broke ranks, trying to block the falling arrows from the centaurs.

Everyone in the crowd was so caught up in the battle of Death Eaters and Centaurs, that no one, no one but Ginny, had noticed Harry vanish. She smiled, the only one in the crowd who had this whole evening, and watched what no one else was.

What everyone did see, though, was so obvious it was a wonder why Voldemort never managed to see it coming. Everyone watched as Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse, the hat falling off his head as he drew from it's depths the Sword of Gryffindor. The slash of the blade could not be heard over the battle, but that did not stop the whole crowd that was on the field that night from seeing Neville slash the head off of Nagini.

Voldemort screamed in fury, and no one heard him, as the body of the last Horcrux thudded to the ground.

And above all, above the roars from the Death Eaters and survivors alike, above the stampeding heard of centaurs, and above the scream of even Voldemort himself, Hagrid's voice came loudest of all: "HARRY!!! HARRY—WHERE'S HARRY?"

And then everyone joined Ginny in smiling. They knew, finally, that the end was not here: Harry Potter was alive, and the battle was not yet lost.

No. The battle was just beginning.

**XX**

**Ooh!!! I LOVED this chapter!!! I learned a whole ton of stuff about the book I hadn't even realized before! I think I might have even helped some people do the same. I really hope so.**

**Forgive me for mistakes. I didn't have time to proof read.**

**Review!**


	6. Ridikulus

**Ridikulus**

**Hermione takes care of the Boggart for Mrs. Weasley, and finds herself in the worst predicament of her life.**

**XX**

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were sitting on the floor of Grimmuald Place, currently inside Harry and Ron's bedroom. Ron and Harry were playing wizard chess, while Hermione stood to the side, sitting quietly and intent on watching their game. She had been offered a play many times, but still refused to accept the offer. She _hated _chess.

"Knight, D4," said Ron in a very important tone. Harry smiled, and knocked Ron's knight off the board. Ron's grin was gone.

"Damn," said Ron, disappointed. "I thought I had you there."

"Had me how?" said Harry. "By cheating your way to my king?"

"No…," said Ron, but was suddenly quiet. Hermione laughed.

"Would you stop giggling?" reproached Ron. "You wouldn't be any better."

"I know that," said Hermione. "That's why I'm laughing."

Ron scowled.

When a good half and hour had passed, a cry issued from Ron's parent's room. Hermione was startled, but seemed to be the only one, and left to go find the source.

When she opened Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door, she found a devastated Molly lying on the floor beside the dresser. Hermione, scared for Ron's mother, quickly went over to her.

"Mrs. Weasley?" she said, and Molly jumped and looked at Hermione, her eyes puffy and red. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, it's nothing dear," said Molly, wiping her eyes on her dress. "Just a silly little Boggart."

"Oh…," said Hermione, surprised. "Did you get rid of it?"

Molly avoided Hermione's eyes, and said, "No. I just shoved it back in the dresser."

Hermione laughed and told Molly to go and have some peace. She promised to take care of the Boggart herself. Once she had left, she readied her want and opened the drawer that the Boggart was in.

She gasped, and closed her eyes. It wasn't what she was expecting to see.

Ron was wrapped around a nameless girl. Or rather, she was wrapped around him. Ron was tall and muscular and very handsome, and the girl was ten times prettier than any girl she knew. Ron was whispering things in the girl's ear, just loud enough that Hermione could hear it all. Her eyes began to prickle with tears.

"R-Ridikulus!" shouted Hermione, but for all the good it did she might as well have tried Vanishing it.

"You know Hermione?" the Boggart Ron asked the nameless girl, kissing her neck. "I think she's possibly the worst person I've ever met."

Tears fell from Hermione's face. The couple kissed, and Hermione tried Ridikulus again. Nothing happened. She turned away, and just as Boggart Ron wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and kissed her deeply, Ron and Harry burst into the room, both shocked.

"Hermione?" said Ron, looking at the sodden Hermione on the ground. "What going--?"

But he stopped dead when he saw what she was crying about. He snarled at the Boggart, reaching for his wand.

"R—Ron," said Hermione, sniffling and trying to compose herself. "I can do it myself!"

He went over to her and pulled her up off the ground. Wrapping his arm around her waist and using his other hand to point his wand, he said, with more force than necessary, "Ridikulus!"

The Boggart then changed into Hermione, exactly how she was, and a faceless man who was kissing her fiercely.

Harry left the room when Ron and Hermione both began a stare-down.

XX

"


End file.
